Marinapark neighbor pleads ‘No on L’

I have lived on the Peninsula for more than 15 years. My house is

directly across from Marinapark. Measure L, which would allow for a

resort to be built on the Balboa Peninsula, is of great importance to

me and my neighbors. I would like to weigh in and give a perspective

from some local residents.

I am writing this letter to inform the public why they should

oppose Measure L.

Traffic is a major concern for the residents of the peninsula. I

believe the Marinapark traffic studies submitted to the City Council

were flawed. The developer’s data counted the cars that traveled on

18th Street, not the actual traffic that passed through the gates at

Marinapark. I have a direct view from my living room, and I have

never counted more than 20 cars per hour. The hotel has provisions

for a ballroom from which to conduct weddings and other social

functions. This will create more traffic than normal hotel

operations. It is estimated that the hotel will bring an additional

1,000 cars onto the peninsula per day. This will serve only to

increase our gridlock situation.

The American Legion has been offered an “incentive” of $500,000 to

support the project. Developer Stephen Sutherland is a good

politician, who promises something to achieve his goals, but will

likely fall short on his promise. I ask: Where is the contract with

the American Legion? Does support from the American Legion give him

the right to say “Veterans support Yes on L”? Some veterans are

fuming mad over his claim.

The Girl Scouts practically have exclusive use of this Newport

jewel. They can use the beach area unencumbered. Once the hotel is

built, the Girl Scouts will be competing with hotel guests for the

beach. Would you want your daughter going to a location next to a

busy hotel and sharing the facilities with strangers? I believe the

hotel is bad for the Girl Scouts.

If the city would sell the land for residential use, they would

have far more revenue than the hotel and have a tax base forever. The

consensus of the citizens, whom I have had the chance to speak with,

want more open space. I hear that resounding issue over and over. The

citizens are tired of the government pillaging public resources for

“progress.”

As far as the reliability of the developer is concerned, the

residents have done the research that the city did not do. At this

time, Sutherland has no financial backing. He says he plans to

announce a financial backer soon. That’s just not good enough. His

experience has been designing hotels in Mexico. I believe the

residents need to know what a shaky deal this is with Sutherland.

Sutherland has not been attacked; everyone has done their due

diligence. Would a Hilton or Hyatt build a five-star hotel on leased

land? Newport deserves more than an inexperienced operator with

shallow promises.

By voting yes, you will effectively change the land use from open

space to marine commercial whether Sutherland is the developer. I

believe the residents will let their voice be heard Tuesday. Measure

L will fail overwhelmingly. Then the residents will have the

opportunity to decide the best use of the parkland -- not a

boat-launch ramp, boat storage or a soccer field. Those ideas were

never considered. We would like to preserve the open space for this

generation and many more to come.

Please join me in voting “No on L.”

CRAIG RAGER

Newport Beach